So i guess its time to start a build thread on my own jeep because i've just started putting some $$ into it. Just a forewarning, i dont have a really big budget so i won't be able to do everything i would like to it in a 2 month time period, but i wanted to go ahead and make a thread for myself. So here it goes...
So i just got a 95 jeep yj White, 2.5l 5speed, about a year ago and have loved it. When i first got it, it had huge shackels that lifted it about 2.5 inches and it had 31" mastercraft mud terrain tires and was in fairly good shape. The carpet was removed, but no rust spots in the body/frame, and very litte dents/body damage, other than some dings in the doors.
Last week i ordered a 4" rough country lift and installed it myself this past weekend. Ive never done anything like this before, and let me tell you it was very frustrating, especially since the bolts and hardware had a good 17 years to get nice and rusty :nonono:. It probablt took a good 10 hours total, since it was my first time ever messing with any kind of big upgrade like this. Im going to try and post pictures of the jeep and me installing the lift.

Some of the upgrades that i would like to get in the near future are

33x12.5x15 tires, im looking at maybe duratracs or something of that sort

i could type 4 pages of things i would like to eventually get but im just going to buy somethings here and there and eventually get everything on my list.

morvayryan

05-01-2012 10:15 PM

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Here it is when I first got it

morvayryan

05-01-2012 10:18 PM

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Here's the lift install and some after pics

morvayryan

05-06-2012 09:46 PM

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Blacked out the turn signals and back lights. I used the VHT niteshades and it turned out lookin sweet!

brokeagin

05-06-2012 11:55 PM

Looking good! Nice Jeep

morvayryan

05-08-2012 11:31 PM

Bought a new muffler and tailpipe today and will be installing it tomorrow. I went with a flowmaster 40 series muffler and a standard 2.25 inch tail pipe. I'll make sure to post some pics later

AV8R

05-09-2012 09:17 AM

I'm guessing you did a tcase drop... Any vibrations after the lift was installed?

morvayryan

05-09-2012 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AV8R

I'm guessing you did a tcase drop... Any vibrations after the lift was installed?

Yeah I installed the tcase drop and so far I haven't had any driveline vibrations. But I am going to have to trim the body where the shifter is because I have a manual, the 2nd, 4th, and reverse doesn't want to stay in gear because of the transfer case drop

loomisman

05-09-2012 07:54 PM

Nice job....

95YamJam

05-10-2012 08:27 AM

Looks great!

morvayryan

05-10-2012 10:23 PM

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Just put in the new muffler and tail pipe and I have to say, it sounds pretty sweet for a 4cyl. I purchased the exhaust kit from rustys offroad I got the flowmaster 40 for an extra $25 and it was well worth it!
After I cut off the muffler I drove it around the block and it was so loud and sounded awesome coming straight out of the cat, but since that is against the law, I had to install my new muffler. But it still sounds sweet and the tailpipe I bought looks way better than the stock pipe where it comes out from the back. I was pretty impressed overall. I didn't really notice any power gains or anything just from putting an aftermarket exhaust but hopefully I will be doing more to the engine to help with performance because it takes a while to get up to speed, especially on the interstate....
I forgot to take pics after I installed it but I did take some before pics of the new exhaust. I'll post after pics later

WranglerJR83

05-11-2012 12:34 AM

It looks like it is coming along well. I am always glad to see someone building a Jeep on a tight budget like me. How do you like your lift and where did you order it from? I am thinking about ordering the same one.

yjJEEPyj

05-11-2012 12:36 AM

Looking good so far! I have flowmaster on my 4.0 and a RC lift! yes I know that hardware drove me crazy to! Sould of bought the Dang hardware pack for 20$

arsenm277

05-11-2012 04:09 AM

Got a few questions for you as I just did the lift this week. I have a very bouncy ride throws me off the seat, is yours bouncy? and how much did you torque the springs to the shackles?

morvayryan

05-11-2012 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WranglerJR83

It looks like it is coming along well. I am always glad to see someone building a Jeep on a tight budget like me. How do you like your lift and where did you order it from? I am thinking about ordering the same one.

I love my lift so far, I haven't had any problems with it and I love how it has so much clearance now. This is the first and only lift I have ever bought so I can't compare this brand to any other, but to me I love it and you can beat the price!
I bought it from jeep4x4center it was $449 and about $70 to ship but I used a 10% promo code and ended up paying about $480 for everything (shipping and tax included). I was very satisfied with jeep4x4center, they sent lots of emails to keep me updated on my order and it was shipped in about a week

morvayryan

05-11-2012 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yjJEEPyj

Looking good so far! I have flowmaster on my 4.0 and a RC lift! yes I know that hardware drove me crazy to! Sould of bought the Dang hardware pack for 20$

I know, I didn't buy the hardware pack at first, but the first day I was putting the lift I ended up cutting of the bolts that attached the springs directly to the frame and then that night I ordered the hardware pack haha. It was definitely worth the $20

yjJEEPyj

05-11-2012 06:07 PM

My RC lift is nice nd smooth... well.. its still a yj!

Ianbeaulieu

05-11-2012 08:32 PM

What do you mean you have to trim your body? i want a 4" lift and ill get mine from RC directly, but i dont wanna cut into my body

morvayryan

05-12-2012 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ianbeaulieu

What do you mean you have to trim your body? i want a 4" lift and ill get mine from RC directly, but i dont wanna cut into my body

Im thinking about lifting up the shifter boot and trim where the shifter is hitting the body. You don't necessarily have to cut into the body, it's just that on my yj it doesn't want to stay in 2nd, 4th and reverse that well. I think you will be ok if you dot want to cut into the body it's just a personal preference thing.

sinister

05-12-2012 08:04 PM

Jeep hut offers free shipping and u get it quick. $ 449 total

morvayryan

05-13-2012 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arsenm277

Got a few questions for you as I just did the lift this week. I have a very bouncy ride throws me off the seat, is yours bouncy? and how much did you torque the springs to the shackles?

I'm pretty sure I torqued the shackle bolts to 65 lbs and the bolts that connect the spring directly to the frame to 100 lbs. I'm not positive on that but if you go to rough country's website and click on download instructions to the lift manual it tells you what to torque everything down to. And it is still a bumpy ride, but it was a huge improvement for me because before I installed the lift, my jeep had factory springs with a 2.5 inch shackle lift...

morvayryan

05-13-2012 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morvayryan

I'm pretty sure I torqued the shackle bolts to 65 lbs and the bolts that connect the spring directly to the frame to 100 lbs. I'm not positive on that but if you go to rough country's website and click on download instructions to the lift manual it tells you what to torque everything down to. And it is still a bumpy ride, but it was a huge improvement for me because before I installed the lift, my jeep had factory springs with a 2.5 inch shackle lift...

Another thing that might help with ride quality is to get greaseable shackles and to not tighten the leaf springs or the trac bars down until after you take the jeep of the jacks and it is sitting on its tires

WranglerJR83

05-19-2012 05:02 PM

I was on rough country's website last night and when I looked at the 4" lift it didn't show new shackles or a TC drop in the parts list. What kit did you get? Did it come with the shackles and TC drop, or did you add that?

morvayryan

05-19-2012 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WranglerJR83

I was on rough country's website last night and when I looked at the 4" lift it didn't show new shackles or a TC drop in the parts list. What kit did you get? Did it come with the shackles and TC drop, or did you add that?

I got the 4" rough country lift with the n2.0 shocks and it came with the transfer case drop. It did not come with shackles, I got OEM heavy duty grease able shackles from Quadratec. They were only $40 a piece.

morvayryan

05-19-2012 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vickery

I just joined this forum today and I have a question I have a 95 YJ and I bought a 3" body lift and a 2" coil spacer when I install these will I have to change anything like the drive shaft or brake lines ect?

Coil springs on a yj? I wish mine had that. Anyways, no, you shouldnt have to change the drive shaft or brake lines because you are really only lifting the suspension parts by 2 inches and the drive shafts and brake lines can handle a lift up to about 3-3.5 inches of lift. And the body lift will just raise the body off the frame by 3 inches so it's not affecting any suspension or driveline parts.

yenamd

05-21-2012 01:40 AM

looks good, nice jeep

spyder98

05-21-2012 09:26 AM

Nice build.... jeep looking good.

morvayryan

05-27-2012 10:42 PM

Its been a while since i posted anything, but ive been trying to save up some cash to get some other things on my list. So i just ordered a Smittybilt SRC stinger front bumper and a Smittybilt SRC classic rear bumper with d-rings and a tire carrier. Hopefully they will come in by the end of the week or begining of next week. Im looking forward to getting these cause ive been wanting to do more to my jeep for a while but just havent had the money to do anything yet. I post pics of everything when it comes in, and while im installing it.

morvayryan

05-30-2012 12:15 AM

Also just bought new windshield light brackets online from 4wd. I can put my lights on my windshield and have room for a winch later on to mount on my new stinger :) I will post pics of everything as soon as it gets here

morvayryan

06-02-2012 01:14 AM

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My front and rear bumper came in today and had the day off so I could install them. It wasn't too bad except for the rear bumper, that was tricky to put on. I was surprised to find out that the rear bumper came with 2 d-rings. I just ordered 2 more for the front bumper. I'm really impressed with the look of the stinger! I think it looks really aggressive. All in all it wasn't the easiest install, but it came out lookin pretty sweet.